Pipe-cleaning tool



- Jan. 5 1926;

J. w. $HELBURNE PIPE CLEANING TOOL Filed April 17, 1922 625 lfqql Im efZZ fQz -I cm Patented J s, "1926 'Jomr w; sfinmumwn, or adiminan, urssotmr.

' frxrn-ennnnme'roon Application tied .April- 17,

Be it known that I, JOHN W. .sfinmnniin',

't' n' of the United States and residentv I m we W 'e h p r lon of the bit which extends of Hannibal, county ofMariomand State of Missouri, have invented certain new andusep p eratormay' desire, by simply pulling the bit 'i-in oneidirect on or the other through the con- I tamer, according to'the preferred mbodiment of my invention, abit adjusting device .3 i is prov ded comprising a pairfof gripping aws 29, 30,which-'--are firmly held upon asleeve 31 fitting over-the brace 12 by means of a spiral spring 37 ,which fits .r gripping members.

ful' Improvements in Pipe-Cleaning Tools, of which the following is aspecificatlon,

and which are illust'rated in the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part thereof. g

The invention relates toan improvedform of cleaning tool, and has as Its ob ect to provide a flexible bitor shaft which shall serve .as an oil tube or other-pipe cleaner, and

maybe used.-f or boring through croolzed. tubes such 'as are found in the lubr cating systems of automobile engines.- The 1mproved drill :is adapted to open up such a pipe and free it from the sediment or worn. particles from the transmission bands WhlCll are" so disastrous to thelife of the motor. I

' An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings,-

in which c r Fig. 1 is a side 'elevation'of an automobile engine of common construction, a portion of its casing being-broken away to show an 011 tube of its lubricatin' system, to which the improved drill is. app ied for the purpose of cleaning the same; I I

Fig. 2 is a central ,long1tud1nal sectlon through the brace which formsthe 'contalner for the'flexible shaft or drill; v

the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and i Fig. 3 is a section on the'line of Fig. 2, the bit adjustingdevice being shown 11). elevation; r

Fig; 4 is a.- detail longitudinal section on I L Fig. 5 shows the improved bit remove d from thebrace. v v

The oil tube cleaner comprises an'elon-g [gated flexible drill orbit-10, which is capable of passing through curved passages,

and-is preferably formed of a long tightlyeing, sharpened. A hollow brace 12,forms a concoiledspiral spring, its free end 11.

tainer for the flexible drill 10.

The brace 12 is shown as providedwith the usual handle 25, and is outwardly curved, as at 26,- adjacent. its upper end, thus roviding' the usual operating grip. The exi.

ble bit 10 may extend through the curved portion 26 ;of the hollow container and through-acentra'l bore 2' 7 in the'handle 25,

v one end of, the bit bein adapted to ro'ect beyond-thhandle 25 rind its opposite-ind beyond the lower end of the brace.

beyond thebrace may be varied as the op members or I over the rear ends of the As shown, the; brace 12 is provided with a pair of ,oppositely positioned longitudinal slots ,32, 33,. through which the front ends 3 and therebylimit the sliding movement of ,thesleeve31. Q I

The spring .37is adaptedlto hold the front points 36- normally out of engagement with the coils of the spiral bit 10. The bit is adusted by applying pressure to the jaws and Each jawwhich is moving the same" in a forward or rearward direction, asdesired. In this manner the bit may be pushed down through a tube until it reaches the obstruction'therein. The bit may then be held in its adjusted position b any suitable means,.as by a chuck 13of ordinary construction. When so-secured the device is used as a drill.

The uses of the device are many.-' It is particularly useful for cleaning the crooked 011" pipes of the lubricating system of an in-.-

ternal combustion engine." In Fig. I theouter casing of such an engine is designated generally by the-reference numeral 15. The

casing is partly broken away, thereby disclosing an 011 tube 16, having a collecting funnel 17. By drilling-a hole .18 in the easing 15 directly over'and a little in'rear of the collecting funnel 17 the drill 10 may be Y inserted in the tube 16. j

through the tube 16, thusoplening it up and forcing any sedilnnt wide I may have ac- The 0 eration of the device" is the sameas that of t e usual auger or drill. On turning the brace .12 the special bit 10 bores its way cumulated therein through the end of the pipe opposite the funnel 17, as shown at 20 in Fig. 1." 7

The tube 16 is shown as bent at 19, but owing to the flexible construction of the drill the bend interposes no obstacle in the way of the cleaning operation.

r In practice a small cap or cover is normally placed over the hole 18 in the engine casing to prevent access of dust or other foreign matter. This cap may be readily removed and the tube cleaned in a few minutes. The usual method of cleaning the tube is to remove the transmission cover, which re quires a mechanics labor for a period of several hours.

While the cleaner has been particularly described with reference to its use with an internal combustion engine, it is evident that it may be employed for manyother purposes without departing from the scope of the present invention.

A I claim as my invention i 1. A pipe cleaning tool comprising a brace having an offset portionibetween its ends for forming a crank for rotating the same, said brace being provided with a bore extending through said brace from end to end thereof, a flexible bit slidably mounted in said bore, and means for adjustably holding said bit within said brace. i

2. A pipe cleaning device comprising a brace provided. with an aperture, a fiexlble bit slidably mounted in said aperture and reciprocating means mounted on said race for adjusting said bit relatively to said brace.

3. A pipe cleaning device comprising a brace, a flexible bit slidably mounted on said brace, reciprocating means for adjusting said bit along said brace, and means for holding said bit in adjusted position on said brace.

4. A pipe cleaning tool comprising a fiexi ble bit, a hollow brace for operating the same through which the bit extends, said brace having a air of longitudinal slots therein, a sleeve tting said brace, a pair of 'jaws hingedly secured to said sleeve and having points projecting into said slots for engagement with said bit, and means for securing said bit in. longitudinally adjusted position with respect to said brace."

JOHN w; SHELBURNE. 

